DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
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CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by CRama »

Dr. Sowmya presented the thematic programme titled JEEVATMA PARAMATMA in Narada Gana Sabha as a part of the above festival. She was accompanied by Nagai Sreeram on the violin and Neyveli Narayanan on the Mridangam and Chandrasekar Sarma on the Ghatam. List of songs.

Sree Nathgadi Guruguho Jayathi- Mayamalavagowla
Paramathmudu-Vagadheeswari- (R,S)
Karavaikal pin senru-Kambodi- Tiruppavai
Inudayabarade-Kalyanavasantham
Gnanamosagarada-Poorvikalyani

I left when this song was sung.

Sowmya with her long experience rendered the songs true to the raga bhavam and sahithya bhavam. Vagadheeswari alapana was rendered elaborately and the swaras were icing on the cake. But she was having some problem with voice also.

Sowmya gave a very basic definition of Jeevathma, Paramathma, Adwaitam, Dwaitam and Visishtadvaitam. Reg, Sree Nathadi, she explained that this song is an exemplary example of advaitam. The subject itself is highly philosophical and complex and one need to dwell deep to explain the nuances. But it was dealt in the peripheral only and the relevance of each song on the theme also was not adequately explained. It appeared that her preparations were not adequate enough to handle this complex theme. Sowmya is very famous for her thematic presentations But this one did not belong to that league.

kamavardhani
Posts: 92
Joined: 13 Dec 2006, 22:57

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by kamavardhani »

CRama wrote:The subject itself is highly philosophical and complex and one need to dwell deep to explain the nuances...
Precisely. And it takes an artiste of the calibre and vidwat of this vidushi to even attempt something like this. It's certainly not in good taste to attribute your poor understanding of the theme to a lack of preparation on Dr. Sowmya's part. And to top it all, you left just when the main piece was sung, and after which she gave a quite lucid explanation of the relevance of that krti and the theme. There was also a delightful Anandabhairavi (mAnasa gurugua rUpam) afterwards.

And on Sunday, Dr. Sowmya again guided a very cohesive group of youngsters- Ashwath, Vignesh Iswar, Subashri and Kruthi Bhat in presenting a delightful thematic concert on Bhakti Margam.

Rsachi
Posts: 5039
Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by Rsachi »

I would be greatly interested in understanding how Dr S. S guided the programme and got the best out of the youngsters apart from dealing with the theme. She seems to have a penchant for such difficult projects. They are different from just striking together some songs and hanging them on a peg called the theme. :)

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by CRama »

Kamavardhini, I have greatest regard and admiration for Dr.Sowmya. I have heard many of her regular concerts and thematic progs and floored by her vidwat and communication skills. Many are still fresh in my memory and in my HD. To quote a few of her thematic progs, Sahithyarasanubhava concert in Krishna Gana Sabha, Ramanatakam concert, Padams and Javalis in Mukta Memorial Prog and her regular concerts- NGS concert last Dec where she presented RTP in Vakulabharanam and Mudhra concert the year before last. But as I wrote in my review, I was not satisfied in this programme. Not only me, a few of performing musicians who sat near me also had the same opinion. Even though I left in the middle, I gathered from my friend that day night itself what transpired thereafter. For instance, she explained what is Dwaitham, but she did not explain how Karaivakal pin senru is relevant in that context. My review was not out of any personal prejudice on my part.

In the second programme, she has prepared the young vidwans and vidushis very well and they sang exceedingly well.

kvchellappa
Posts: 3598
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by kvchellappa »

While I would know nothing about the programme, 'Karavaikal pin senru' fits the bill admirably for dwaitham and she must have felt it needed no explanation. It is a poem of surrender begging the pardon of the lord, a typical saranagathi, a mystical union with the divine where the individual is distinct, whether separate or absorbed. The dividing line between dwaitham and visshtadwaitham is not as marked as between them and advaitha.

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by CRama »

KVCHELLAPPA, if it needed no explanation, there need not be any lecture. Only songs may be sung, and people will understand them as per their capacity and imagination.

kvchellappa
Posts: 3598
Joined: 04 Aug 2011, 13:54

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by kvchellappa »

I see your point, sir.

gardabha_gana
Posts: 1033
Joined: 24 Dec 2006, 07:44

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by gardabha_gana »

Is there are recording of this event? Hope Sowmya releases such LecDems either online or for sale.

Vocalist
Posts: 1030
Joined: 19 Feb 2006, 18:53

Re: DR.SOWMYA AT BHAKTHI SANGEET UTSAV- 26/6

Post by Vocalist »

after CRama left, these items followed:
Manasa Guruguha - Anandabhairavi (Dikshitar)
Ee Muddukrishnana - Durga (Vadiraja)
Pavamana (mangalam) - Sowrashtram (Thyagaraja)

I found the comments above very interesting actually. CRama's assertion about 'lack of preparation' is the only sentence in the review which I disagree with (it can be fairly offensive and is what probably prompted kamavardhani's comment). That is, the rest of the review totally sums up my views on the presentation.

There is no doubting Dr Sowmya's talents, but very simply, this particular thematic presentation/concert did not hit the usual high standard. I actually think that was due to the issues with her voice on the day, and the complex theme chosen to be covered in the allotted time (too much material/explanation required and too little time). If her voice was in form, I have personally preferred if a few more compositions were presented too. It was not an atrocious presentation, but it was certainly not one of her best either. It doesn't change the fact that I (still) am a rasika of her music, or that she is very talented; it just was not really her day; that's all.

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